Q:I started a consulting business three months ago.
I'd like to give seminars, but I live in a small town of
38,000. How can I attract a wide audience to my seminars?

A: Unless you already have an industrywide reputation
that will attract people to you, you are going to need to travel to
larger markets. Living in a smaller community has advantages, and
if you've chosen a community within driving distance of larger
cities, the cost and difficulty of travel may be worthwhile.
Alternatives to travel are to offer seminars via phone or the web.
While this technology is growing in popularity, a recent survey by
Special Events magazine found that 2 out of 3 people say technology
is not as effective for communication in meetings as in-person
communication is. Arguably, this translates into your being able to
convert more seminar attendees into clients with in-person
seminars. Still, the number of people willing to attend phone and
web seminars is growing because of their convenience.

Consulting and seminars, of course, work hand in hand, whether
you give free seminars to market your consulting practice or seek
to get paid for the seminars you give.

If you don't want to fill the audiences at your seminars by
yourself, check out organizations such as university and college
extension programs and companies like The Learning
Annex. These kinds of organizations have modest fees, and they
give you access to potential customers interested in your topic. To
derive more income from seminars and help build your reputation as
a presenter, you can also sell in-house training programs to
companies. Most companies have training budgets; however, be aware
that you could find yourself more in the training business than the
consulting business if you pursue this avenue.

Authors and career coaches Paul and Sarah
Edwards' latest book is a new edition of Making Money With
Your Computer at Home. Send them your questions at www.workingfromhome.com or in care of
Entrepreneur.